Yashovarman was sitting alone.
He had just finished the magnificent reservoir.
It was meant for his people.He had become the emperor of Hariharalaya.
"Yashovarman your eyes are Vedas and your hands are justice".
When his poet said this, Yashovarman just asked him to sit down. Yashovarman knew the reality of life.
People call him Devaraja too.
How come devaraja have this disease?
It all started as a painless patch which Yashovarman chose to neglect.
The hair then started falling from his eyebrows.
The worst part was the wrinkles and furrows which had appeared on Yashovarman's face.
He had just finished the magnificent reservoir.
It was meant for his people.He had become the emperor of Hariharalaya.
"Yashovarman your eyes are Vedas and your hands are justice".
When his poet said this, Yashovarman just asked him to sit down. Yashovarman knew the reality of life.
People call him Devaraja too.
How come devaraja have this disease?
It all started as a painless patch which Yashovarman chose to neglect.
The hair then started falling from his eyebrows.
The worst part was the wrinkles and furrows which had appeared on Yashovarman's face.
The self realisation had started in him. He felt he had everything and infact he had inherited a legacy which knew only victory.Why did he get it?
Yashovarman knew he had leprosy.
That's life.
His only source of solace was helping people and thinking of lord Siva,now.
That's life.
His only source of solace was helping people and thinking of lord Siva,now.
Leprosy was death.
Curse of God.
My minister is making a story that the king had conquered the Naga and the Naga's blood had smeared his face and body.
Curse of God.
My minister is making a story that the king had conquered the Naga and the Naga's blood had smeared his face and body.
He was further enlightened by his Guru.
When he has no work he sits with the Brahmanan.
His Guru was supreme Brahmanan.
The Brahmanans had come from India.
The Brahmanans had come from India.
They preached about Adisankarar and his compassion to people.
His mind, soul and body gets enriched when the enlightened Brahmin talks.
His mind, soul and body gets enriched when the enlightened Brahmin talks.
Even when he has work Yashovarman comes and sits with the descendant of Adisankarar.
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| THE LIONS GUARDING THE HILLOCK |
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| THE MELANCHOLIC FIRST LOOK AS WE ARRIVE AT THE TOP |
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| EACH TERRACE HAS 12 SANCTUMS LIKE THIS |
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| THE CENTRAL SANCTUM,DEPICTING THE ATHMA OR SOUL OR SIVA |
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| BEAUTIFUL DEVATAS ON THE SIDES WELCOMING US |
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| THE CENTRAL SANCTUM NOW HAS A BUDDHIST MONK |
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| ONE SANCTUM HAVING A SIVA LINGAM |
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| FOUR CORNER SANCTUMS ON TOP |
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| THE BASE,FIVE TERRACES AND THE TOP ONE MAKES SEVEN HEAVENS |
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| THE HOLY BULL OR NANDHI GUARDING THE HILL |
"What is 108? and why it is so special sir?"
The King asked his guru.
"Sir,it's 109 and not 108".
"The 109 is lord Siva or the athma".
"The athma has to reach Siva".
"If Siva decides he can make everyone and the entire universe into unison at 109".
"He is the center".
"Around him the world rotates".
"The lunar month is 27 days and it has 4 cycles. When we multiply it becomes 108".
"All 33 gods of Siva and the world belongs to and revolve around Siva".
"That's why devaraja the mala which we usually pray with has 108 beads."
"The 109th one is everyone's athma".
"The concept of athma searching lord Siva is realisation , the path of reaching him is sprirituality and when we reach him we become Sivam"
The king was not sure.He clasped his hands and fell on his Guru's feet and then walked off.
Yashovarman did not sleep at that night.
109 and the Meru mountain should be together.
The people should understand the mighty of lord Siva and his love for all.
Siva will be at the center.
I had seen the place.
I know where it has to be built.
I know everyplace of my kingdom.
Like my father I also should be buried there.
Hariharalaya has severe water scarcity.
The population has grown.
The resettlement will happen in a new place.
Blessed by Siva and his concept of 108.
I will soon die because of leprosy.
Before that I shall build a new place,new settlement for my people with the blessings of the almighty.
On a hillock and that will be mount Meru.
Siva will be the fulcrum there.
All 108 forms of Siva will be there.
"That's why devaraja the mala which we usually pray with has 108 beads."
"The 109th one is everyone's athma".
"The concept of athma searching lord Siva is realisation , the path of reaching him is sprirituality and when we reach him we become Sivam"
The king was not sure.He clasped his hands and fell on his Guru's feet and then walked off.
Yashovarman did not sleep at that night.
109 and the Meru mountain should be together.
The people should understand the mighty of lord Siva and his love for all.
Siva will be at the center.
I had seen the place.
I know where it has to be built.
I know everyplace of my kingdom.
Like my father I also should be buried there.
Hariharalaya has severe water scarcity.
The population has grown.
The resettlement will happen in a new place.
Blessed by Siva and his concept of 108.
I will soon die because of leprosy.
Before that I shall build a new place,new settlement for my people with the blessings of the almighty.
On a hillock and that will be mount Meru.
Siva will be the fulcrum there.
All 108 forms of Siva will be there.
The king summoned the chief architect.
"Yes sir".
"We are going tomorrow and I will show you a place".
"Around that place we are shifting the new capital".
"We should do it soon".
"Yes sir".
"We are going tomorrow and I will show you a place".
"Around that place we are shifting the new capital".
"We should do it soon".
The Angkor vat came into existence this way.
The new city was called Yashodarapura.
The mountain was called as Phnom Bakheng.
On top of it a main temple was built and it had Sivalingam,
The base had four entrances and it is surrounded by 44 sanctums.
On the way to the top of the hillock there are five terraces.
Each terrace has 12 sanctums.This number 12 corresponds to the Jupiter's 12 year cycle in a human beings life.
So in total we have 44 plus 60 plus 4 and plus 1.
Totally 109.
The central sanctum is the main sanctum depicting Siva and around him everything revolves.
The base plus 5 terraces and the top level makes 7 levels corresponding to 7 heavens.
This was deciphered and understood by Jean Fillozat, a french scholar.
The new city was called Yashodarapura.
The mountain was called as Phnom Bakheng.
On top of it a main temple was built and it had Sivalingam,
which was called ""Yashodaraeshwara. It was installed in 907AD,.three years before Yashovarman's death who was posthumously called "Paramaasivaloka".
Around the main sanctum there were four more sanctums.The base had four entrances and it is surrounded by 44 sanctums.
On the way to the top of the hillock there are five terraces.
Each terrace has 12 sanctums.This number 12 corresponds to the Jupiter's 12 year cycle in a human beings life.
So in total we have 44 plus 60 plus 4 and plus 1.
Totally 109.
The central sanctum is the main sanctum depicting Siva and around him everything revolves.
The base plus 5 terraces and the top level makes 7 levels corresponding to 7 heavens.
This was deciphered and understood by Jean Fillozat, a french scholar.
The temple is just infront of the gateway to Angkor Thom complex.
If we are coming from Angkor vat towards Angkor Thom complex we need to take a left and we will see the small mountain.
Two lions will welcome us.
There are steps which has no access.
The current path can be accessed around the mountain by walk or with the help of the elephant too.
When I walked with my guide there were no one.
This place becomes crowded and vibrant during sunrise or sunset as visitors throng this place to see the glimpse of Angkor from here.
I was there at 10 am.
It's just a 500 meter walk and once we reach the summit the experience to see the hillock with so many sanctums and most of them damaged badly was something which can be felt for the viewer only .
Just in front of the hillock we can see the beautiful Nandhi.(Sacred bull)
It's still there and prayers are still offered for this Nandhi.
Most of the sanctums are broken and I could see some sanctums having the Sivalingam.
The main one also is badly damaged and a small hermit statue is present now.
I sat there and could feel Yashovarman and his feelings.
His staunch belief on Siva has made him immortal .
Yashovarman had engineered a brilliant Siva cosmology, 1300 years ago on a hillock.
The main sanctum does not have Siva.
Siva has three forms.
One is Nataraja which everyone can see.
The second one is form and formless which Yashovarman had installed in 108 sanctums as Sivalingam.
The other form of Siva is formless which he had taken at this place and only the discerning can understand this.
If we are coming from Angkor vat towards Angkor Thom complex we need to take a left and we will see the small mountain.
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| ANGKORVAT CAN BE VIEWED FROM THIS HILLOCK |
Two lions will welcome us.
There are steps which has no access.
The current path can be accessed around the mountain by walk or with the help of the elephant too.
When I walked with my guide there were no one.
This place becomes crowded and vibrant during sunrise or sunset as visitors throng this place to see the glimpse of Angkor from here.
I was there at 10 am.
It's just a 500 meter walk and once we reach the summit the experience to see the hillock with so many sanctums and most of them damaged badly was something which can be felt for the viewer only .
Just in front of the hillock we can see the beautiful Nandhi.(Sacred bull)
It's still there and prayers are still offered for this Nandhi.
Most of the sanctums are broken and I could see some sanctums having the Sivalingam.
The main one also is badly damaged and a small hermit statue is present now.
I sat there and could feel Yashovarman and his feelings.
His staunch belief on Siva has made him immortal .
Yashovarman had engineered a brilliant Siva cosmology, 1300 years ago on a hillock.
The main sanctum does not have Siva.
Siva has three forms.
One is Nataraja which everyone can see.
The second one is form and formless which Yashovarman had installed in 108 sanctums as Sivalingam.
The other form of Siva is formless which he had taken at this place and only the discerning can understand this.
Angkorvat visit is never complete without visiting this temple which an American scholar Paul Wheatley aptly called as "An astronomical calender built in a single stone"
Addendum:
Hariharalaya was the first capital of the Khmer empire in Cambodia.
Now its called Roulous.
Yashovarman ruled Hariharalaya between 889 to 910 AD . He shifted his capital to Yashodarapura and this temple was built by him.
Yashovarman did have leprosy and the Terrace of leper king was built for this king at Angkor thom complex.
Yashovarman ruled Hariharalaya between 889 to 910 AD . He shifted his capital to Yashodarapura and this temple was built by him.
Yashovarman did have leprosy and the Terrace of leper king was built for this king at Angkor thom complex.
About reaching Siem reap,kindly go through Kbal spean blog.
Jean Fillozat is a french doctor. He lived in Pondicherry as well and established the French institute of Pondicherry.He deciphered the logic behind this temple,in 1944 and he is well versed in Tamil and Sanskrit.
Phnom means mountain.
Phnom means mountain.
